Faction(s): Her own, though very loyal to Trailvyne merchants
DESCRIPTION & BACKGROUND
Meet Valencia Torreon. If you can get a dozen words out her you're doing better than most. It's not to say that she's bad company; quite the contrary, Trailvyne merchants love having her around. She's good for business and protection.
For starters, she's a broker extraordinaire. She has a keen eye for assessing an item's value and, considering her vast network of contacts, she always has a buyer or two in mind before she begins negotiations. Most people forget that an item is only worth what someone is willing and able to pay for it, and at any given time Valencia will have a good sense of a specific person she knows who might have the money and interest in buying. She hardly ever talks unless she's negotiating, and then you better keep one hand on your wallet and the other on your watch if you can manage. Valencia's never cheated anyone in her life, but she can convince you to buy a winter coat in the summertime the way she explains her position. She never raises her voice or gets mad, she just keeps at it, pointing out why you'd be best off selling to or buying from her at the price she proposes. Some small-time dealers get turned off by what they perceive as her relentlessness, but virtually all the Trailvyne merchants trust her instincts to cut a fair deal. Many have commented that Valencia could be three times richer if she took a larger cut from each deal, but that's not her style. She only wants to keep enough to save a little and keep on doing what she loves, which is traveling the countryside brokering deals, usually for high-end items like weapons and technology.
The only thing that surpasses her reputation as a broker is her legendary skill with a rifle. Her parents, both long since dead, dealt in munitions and gunsmithing. Valencia learned to shoot from a very young age and displayed a natural gift for it, far exceeding the skill of her twin brother Enrique. She is a slight woman and cannot fire a rifle from a standing position with ease, but from a prone position she can consistently hit small targets from 800 yards. In classic gunslinger style, Valencia has driven off would-be thieves from caravans by shooting off their hats and the weapons from their hands. When traveling with caravans en route between destinations, Valencia builds a perch surrounded by sandbags near the middle of the wagon train, and scans the horizon for any potential danger. She avoids killing but has done so--plenty of times--without doubt or regret when the situation warrants.
It's fair to say she has personal space issues. Though she has dozens upon dozens of friendly acquaintances, she has no truly close friends and not a hint of a love life, despite being an attractive woman. She prefers do her market trading in the very early morning or in the later evening when the markets are least crowded, and she focuses intently on maintaining personal space. She carries a .38 revolver and three separate shivs on her at all times for close-range encounters. Though she's had a handful of altercations, in these situations she strikes quickly and flees. She is keenly aware of pickpockets and takes obsessive care to prevent theft. Even with the traders she knows best, she limits contact to a handshake at arm's length.
Though never very outgoing, her social withdrawal began in earnest with the murder of her twin brother eight years ago on a caravan run between Green Bay and Milwaukee. Though the abundance of evidence left behind indicated pirates were the perpetrators, Valencia (along with most merchants who know the story) felt it was too obvious and believe it was Crawley's Waltzers who hit the caravan for reasons unknown. Valencia has no interest in pursuing the matter, figuring Enrique simply was on the wrong job at the wrong time, but this doesn't mean she has either forgiven or forgotten. Her mood noticeably darkens when she meets anyone belonging to or thinking kindly of that faction. She refuses to do business with them and would happily help arrange for their luck suddenly to go sour.
Truth be told, Valencia would not mind settling down a little. traveling less, and becoming part of a community. Though she remains aloof in social situations, she craves company and dislikes being alone for long periods. She has suitors in every settlement but none who capture her interest. She keeps a small place in Green Bay near the Pale Horse Distillery, where she spends most of her time when in town, and she quite enjoys Green Bay's seediness. She keeps small stashes of her wealth in each major settlement, and knows she can count on her many friends if she ever finds herself in need.
NAME: Valencia Torreon
Age: 37
Sex: Female
Race: White/Hispanic
Class: Middle class
Profession: Rare item broker
Disposition: Taciturn
Faction(s): Her own, though very loyal to Trailvyne merchants
DESCRIPTION & BACKGROUND
Meet Valencia Torreon. If you can get a dozen words out her you're doing better than most. It's not to say that she's bad company; quite the contrary, Trailvyne merchants love having her around. She's good for business and protection.
For starters, she's a broker extraordinaire. She has a keen eye for assessing an item's value and, considering her vast network of contacts, she always has a buyer or two in mind before she begins negotiations. Most people forget that an item is only worth what someone is willing and able to pay for it, and at any given time Valencia will have a good sense of a specific person she knows who might have the money and interest in buying. She hardly ever talks unless she's negotiating, and then you better keep one hand on your wallet and the other on your watch if you can manage. Valencia's never cheated anyone in her life, but she can convince you to buy a winter coat in the summertime the way she explains her position. She never raises her voice or gets mad, she just keeps at it, pointing out why you'd be best off selling to or buying from her at the price she proposes. Some small-time dealers get turned off by what they perceive as her relentlessness, but virtually all the Trailvyne merchants trust her instincts to cut a fair deal. Many have commented that Valencia could be three times richer if she took a larger cut from each deal, but that's not her style. She only wants to keep enough to save a little and keep on doing what she loves, which is traveling the countryside brokering deals, usually for high-end items like weapons and technology.
The only thing that surpasses her reputation as a broker is her legendary skill with a rifle. Her parents, both long since dead, dealt in munitions and gunsmithing. Valencia learned to shoot from a very young age and displayed a natural gift for it, far exceeding the skill of her twin brother Enrique. She is a slight woman and cannot fire a rifle from a standing position with ease, but from a prone position she can consistently hit small targets from 800 yards. In classic gunslinger style, Valencia has driven off would-be thieves from caravans by shooting off their hats and the weapons from their hands. When traveling with caravans en route between destinations, Valencia builds a perch surrounded by sandbags near the middle of the wagon train, and scans the horizon for any potential danger. She avoids killing but has done so--plenty of times--without doubt or regret when the situation warrants.
It's fair to say she has personal space issues. Though she has dozens upon dozens of friendly acquaintances, she has no truly close friends and not a hint of a love life, despite being an attractive woman. She prefers do her market trading in the very early morning or in the later evening when the markets are least crowded, and she focuses intently on maintaining personal space. She carries a .38 revolver and three separate shivs on her at all times for close-range encounters. Though she's had a handful of altercations, in these situations she strikes quickly and flees. She is keenly aware of pickpockets and takes obsessive care to prevent theft. Even with the traders she knows best, she limits contact to a handshake at arm's length.
Though never very outgoing, her social withdrawal began in earnest with the murder of her twin brother eight years ago on a caravan run between Green Bay and Milwaukee. Though the abundance of evidence left behind indicated pirates were the perpetrators, Valencia (along with most merchants who know the story) felt it was too obvious and believe it was Crawley's Waltzers who hit the caravan for reasons unknown. Valencia has no interest in pursuing the matter, figuring Enrique simply was on the wrong job at the wrong time, but this doesn't mean she has either forgiven or forgotten. Her mood noticeably darkens when she meets anyone belonging to or thinking kindly of that faction. She refuses to do business with them and would happily help arrange for their luck suddenly to go sour.
Truth be told, Valencia would not mind settling down a little. traveling less, and becoming part of a community. Though she remains aloof in social situations, she craves company and dislikes being alone for long periods. She has suitors in every settlement but none who capture her interest. She keeps a small place in Green Bay near the Pale Horse Distillery, where she spends most of her time when in town, and she quite enjoys Green Bay's seediness. She keeps small stashes of her wealth in each major settlement, and knows she can count on her many friends if she ever finds herself in need.
HEALTH = 6
WEAPONS = Deer rifle + special scope, .38 Special, and Shiv x 3
POSSESSIONS/EQUIPMENT = Scope (+2 for med/long range shots), Rucksack, leather mailbag w/lock, wallets w/locks x 3 (containing cash and bullets)
ATTRIBUTES (should not exceed 5/4/3)
Intelligence: 2
Wits: 4
Resolve: 1
Strength: 1
Dexterity: 5
Stamina: 1
Presence: 2
Manipulation: 3
Composure: 1
SKILLS (Cannot exceed 11/7/4, +3 Specialties)
Mental
Academics : 0Computer : 0
Crafts : 0
Investigation : 2
Medicine : 0
Occult : 0
Politics : 0
Scavenging: 2
Science: 0
Physical
Athletics : 0Brawl : 0
Drive : 0
Firearms : 5
Larceny : 0
Stealth : 0
Survival : 2
Weaponry: 3
Social
Animal ken : 1Empathy : 0
Expression : 0
Intimidation : 0
Persuasion : 4
Socialize : 0
Streetwise : 2
Subterfuge: 0
MERITS (should not exceed 7)
Allies - Trailvyne traders +4Resources - +3
and
FLAWS
AloofDrinker - though not an alcoholic, she is always on the lookout for a decent whiskey or beer